2020 CASTLE ROCK Merlot California

Castle Rock Merlot is crafted from grapes sourced from vineyards with optimal climate and soil conditions for this classic varietal. So why is this excellent wine so affordable? This is a winery that keeps their organization lean, so they can purchase high-quality fruit and avoid buying bulk market wine. Exhibiting a rich ruby hue, this elegant medium-bodied wine offers aromas expressive of black cherry, blueberry, plum, and spice. The palate is intense and luscious, showcasing a prominent core of berry flavors with notes of caramel and vanilla bean, leading to a gracefully extended and harmonious finish. Castle Rock Merlot will add as much pleasure to simple mid-week meals as to fine cuts of beef, pasta dishes, and an array of cheeses.

Winery

Winery Description

Producing low-priced wine is not difficult in California – as long as one uses undistinguished central valley grapes. Yet Castle Rock Winery sells premium, handcrafted wines from the best appellations in California, Oregon and Washington at prices that match those wines labeled “California.” Castle Rock Winery’s secret to providing “appellation wines at affordable prices” is to operate as a kind of “virtual winery,” owning neither its own vineyards nor a winery. Instead it maintains close, long-term relationships with around forty growers in such areas as Monterey County, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Willamette Valley and Colombia Valley and leases state-of-the-art winemaking facilities in all three states. Winemaker August "Joe" Briggs works closely with the growers to ensure they produce the best quality fruit while overseeing the winemaking at the same time. This unique method of operating allows Castle Rock to avoid the “money pits” of land and fancy buildings that sink many wineries and focus everything on securing the best grapes and crafting delicious wines. Since the beginning in 1994, Castle Rock has focused particularly on Pinot Noir, making distinct bottlings from such key Pinot districts as Carneros, Russian River Valley and Willamette Valley. However, over the years the winery has also branched out into other popular varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel and Riesling. Though an oft-repeated wine country adage goes, “it takes a fortune to make a small fortune in the wine business,” Castle Rock Winery has shown there is a way to make captivating wines for the discerning drinker without deep pockets. 

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